March 30, 2005 - Last Gas

It has been part of the weekly Edhat ritual for a long time. If it’s Tuesday, we’re out getting gas prices! For over a year now, the dedicated staff of edhat.com has been listening to Two-for-Tuesday on the car radio as we drive past every single gas station in town. We are gathering prices to update our map, and to tell our subscribers where to go to save a couple of dollars on a fill-up.

Ed feels a little responsible for the rise in gas prices over the last year. He speculates that while a watched pot never boils, watched gas prices do.  When we started out gathering prices, regular unleaded gas was going for $1.80/gallon.  Today the price is around $2.40/gallon.

Yesterday, the dedicated staff decided to put an end to runaway oil inflation by discontinuing our gas price watch. Besides, after a year of drive-by pricing, it has become evident that the relative price difference between stations remains consistent, almost predictable.

For instance, we learned that the 76 Station at Milpas & 101 always has the same price as the no-brand/formerly Texaco station across the street.  And, the Fairview & Calle Real stations (Arco, Exxon, Vons, and Ultramar) are always within a couple of cents of each other. Recently, the 76 on Fairview became competitive with its neighbors as well. Now only the Shell on Fairview is expensive. North (or is it west?) of Fairview, prices go up dramatically with the Chevron station by Costco consistently holding the title as Highest of the High.

The cheapest price in town is often at the Arco at Ontare & State. Sometimes, the Arco on Mission & State will match.  The 4 Exxon gas stations in town are always within 2 cents of the lowest price.  If you pay with a 2% off credit card at Exxon, iT ends up being cheaper than Arco - particularly if you use the Arco ATM and pay the service fee.

Other cheap places are Thrifty (101/State & Milpas) and USA (Carrillo & Milpas). The other independents, American Gas on De La Vina and United Gas on San Andres, tend to cost a bit more.

In Montecito, prices are very high – likewise by La Cumbre. The Mesa is high too. Usually JR’s is a couple of cents less than the Unocal down the road.  The Chevron by SBCC is high (as are all Chevrons).

And, if you find yourself gasless by Turnpike, there is no need to shop. The Shell on Hollister and the Shell on Turnpike/101 always have the same price.

So, as we discontinue our periodic petroleum price postings, we are forced to reflect on the time gone past. Fuel for thought, as they say.   Well, we can’t say it was a gas, but then again, compared to other Edhat activities like eating ice cream, checking out swimsuit styles on the beach, or bar-hopping, what is?

In yesterday’s contest, the correct answers for cheapest gas were Arco on Ontare, followed by Arco on Mission. The correct answer for most expensive was Chevron in Montecito (just edging out the 76 down the street).  The question of the day was a little confusing, but it didn’t fool MAZMO, who not only got the right answer, but also wrote it very nicely.  Mazmo wins tickets to tonight’s Balinese dance performance at UCSB.  We hear it’s a gas!

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